As if this afternoon's 11-0 thrashing at the hands of the Mets wasn't bad enough, now the Nationals have to come right back out and try to get back on track against All-Star Game starter Matt Harvey. With Bryce Harper out of the lineup.

Yep, Harper is sitting this one out after aggravating his left knee diving for Daniel Murphy's liner in the fifth inning of Game 1, according to Davey Johnson. He stayed in the game until the eighth, at which point he was replaced by pinch-runner Scott Hairston. So Steve Lombardozzi, who has five hits over the last 24 hours, gets the start in left field.

Ross Ohlendorf makes the spot start for the Nationals, perhaps an audition to see if he could join the rotation on a permanent basis with Taylor Jordan perhaps headed back to the minors in advance of his post-Tommy John shutdown. The veteran righty will have to be in top form tonight.

After a debacle like that first game, do the Nats even want to get back out on the field? "Yeah," Johnson said. "I'm actually glad we got another one tonight." We'll see how this plays out.

William Ladson ‏@washingnats 13sI was told by two baseball people that #Nats RHP Drew Storen was still sick when he pitched in the first game of the Day-Night Doubleheader.That's really pretty messed up by Davey. I understand he couldn't stick with Mattheus and he wanted to save the A-bullpen, but why not put in Krol or something?

Manassas, I don't remember a dive this afternoon, either. He played one off the wall. He dove for one last night, and then an inning later there was another ball hit exactly the same way and Bryce played it on the bounce. He seemed like he may have aggravated it on that play last night. Johnson said he was going to watch him closer the other night. Lucky Span, eh? He gets to lead off again tonight. Too bad it's against Harvey.

There was a play today where he fell kind of awkwardly for a ball. It was hit to the gap and he closed quickly and it wasn't a full out dive, but a full out dive probably would've been better because whatever he did caused him to land directly on his knee. I can't remember the batter though.

My OSHA lawyer friend here for our class reunion tomorrow night said. Baseball because of anti trust crap is exempt. But in most industries intentionally making someone to work with documented illness is a line to avoid.

On the Storen thing: Drew said he felt better. I guess Johnson took him at his word. Where did the 102* figure for his fever come from? 102 for an adult is serious stuff. I find it a little questionable. Maybe Drew had smoke coming out of his ears in response to his last couple of outings? I really expect for him to be sent down in the next 24 hours. Chalk one up for the "unmentionable one", as he predicted it would happen.

Regarding Storen and the flu…didn't Michael Jordan put up one of the all time great games of his life in the playoffs back in '97 while suffering from the flu (it may also have been food poisoning)? Here's the deal, if Storen is suited up and in the bullpen, he's available as far as the manager is concerned. If he really was that sick, he should not have been there.I'd just like to know whose call it was that he was there. If Storen said he was well enough to pitch, I do not blame Davey for using him.

You have a point karlkochak. Drew was not even expected to get dressed for the game, but Davey said in the second inning he got dressed and the trainer told Davey he was feeling better. So if that's the case, it's not really on Davey. At the same time, there have been conflicting reports on how sick Storen really was.

Seamhead (and Natslady) – Cronkite comparison certainly wasn't meant to be a poke — more of a compliment. Even the most level-headed objective observes (Natslady = Cronkite here) eventually call it like it is — which is a powerful signal.

LaRoche had the flu and he suited up and he told Davey he could go if needed. Davey didn't, though I think he did pinch hit. Agree Drew's folks have no business going public w/ their complaint. Just a mess.

Ugly, ugly, ugly game….. Just dispicable… I don't understand Storen going in at all….Unh unh unh..And Drew's parent shouldn't have opened there mouths… You never do that… Let your son be grown and the professional that he is…

David Proctor said…It wasn't Harper at the wall. It was a different play in the gap today. I can picture is perfectly in my mind, but I can't recall who the hitter was.MNF, DP is right, it was an awkward kind of catch and he skidded on his knees…early on in the game, not sure who was AB tho.

And after this… Someone will come out and school D Murphy and make him look like he belongs in triple A…. Gosh these Nats are aggravating…Love them to death and will continue to hold out hope until we are mathematically eliminated but they can rip in your heart in shreds…

it was more like he fell to his knees than skidded but it was an awkward catch, almost like he lost track of it…seemed harmless enough but that's the only play that comes to mind where he hit kind of hard.

"David Proctor said… William Ladson ‏@washingnats 13s I was told by two baseball people that #Nats RHP Drew Storen was still sick when he pitched in the first game of the Day-Night Doubleheader. That's really pretty messed up by Davey. I understand he couldn't stick with Mattheus and he wanted to save the A-bullpen, but why not put in Krol or something?"Davey told Dave Jageler between games that in the second inning Storen got dressed, told the trainer he was good enough to pitch and went to the bullpen. In other words, he didn't call in sick, so why shouldn't Davey use him?

I always had reservations about Davey, since Day 1. Everyone told me how smart he was so I figured what do I know and I tried to understand his moves. I was so mad the day he blew the 9 run lead, even though he "took responsibility," I have never seen a worse managed game (I was there). Still, everyone has an off day, so I still tried. I don't think he blew it in Spring Training, but he never instilled any urgency in the team, and he made a lot of in game blunders. I feel sorry for him. But I didn't want him humiliated. This afternoon I feel he humiliated a young man who was physically ill and mentally distressed. I am not a big Storen fan, you all know that I felt all along Clipp is the superior pitcher, not on raw stuff but on baseball IQ and toughness. Nevertheless, it is wrong on so many levels to treat Storen this way– letting him know publicly he could be sent down and then this. That is not a "players' manager."

NL, love your posts and you have a good point but come on, if Storen can put on a uni, he can certainly get 2 outs in a mop-up effort…it wasn't like Davey was asking him to get 2 outs in a 1 run game…if i recall correctly, Jack Lambert played football with a broken leg…good golly, certainly Storen can get a few outs in a meaningless game vs. the Mets…and for mommy & daddy to chime in via twitter, well, that is just silly. I do think he should have been sent home but if he's there and in the BP, he can and should have been used.

JAGELER WINS ANTI-MURROW AWARDCBS News is reporting Nats' radio broadcaster has won the "Anti-Murrow" award for disengenuous reporting in 2013.Jageler won his award for his interview with Davey Johnson, in between games of a double-header, after the Nationals had just been humiliated by the pathetic New York Mets.In the interview, Jageler carefully avoided any questions about the plight of the club, their state of freefall, their absolute lack of fundamentals or concentration, and their "phone it in, play out the string" attitude. Listeners who were unaware of the 11-0 crushing the team had just suffered at the hands of another mediocre pitcher, would've thought Jageler was doing the interview after a routine loss–or even a win.Congratulations, Dave. Remember, always: never address core issues, and never ask tough questions!(Edward R. Murrow was an award-winning journalist, known for tough questions and honest reporting.)

Runner-up goes to tonight's TV skit between FP and the person referred to as "Wulie Walexandria" after she covered his desk with Mets stickers. Man you talk about sad. We can't even PAY people to pretend they're rooting for the Nats.Thanks, and congrats, Wulie.

It must be weird to be a member of the Lerner family, watching the game on TV, learning your on-field broadcaster–your employee–is actively and vocally rooting for the other team.There is not ONE communications and media major from Georgetown, GW, Catholic, American, Howard, Maryland or UVA whom they could hire, who has an authentic interest in supporting the Washington Nationals?

JayB….it's baseball. As far as I'm concerned, it ends when I die.I happen to have an appreciation for anyone that finds there way to the Major League level, especially those that treat the game with respect.

Wow FP just called Denard Span out. Span stopped running full speed on a play earlier and FP was upset over it. Saying that he hopes Ohlendorf running it out spreads to some other people in the 1B dugout is a shot at Span. Deserved, but still.

MNF,It appeared to me as if Harvey's pitch started out over the center portion of the plate and ran up and away from Lombo. Given how hard Harvey throws I would guess that the batter has very little time to read that movement.

While you're there, MNF, say a prayer for the Nats, to the Patron Saint of Lost Causes.Not kidding, not being irreverant. After all, FP is pinning our hopes for the season on the inspiration provided by journeyman Ross Ohlander running out a ground ball.Lost cause indeed.

OK, not to be such a doom and gloom ranting guy here, but Nats management is about to quit on this 2013 club. They are not going to add anything (Hairston, a quesionable bench bat, was all they had in them). They might even sell a RP, who knows, but they are likely going to finish a distant 3rd. Turn out the lights, the party's over . . . I blame Rizzo. Guy's just not a winning GM.

Totally off topic here but a friend of mine in Virginia tells me that the Hagerstown Suns might be moving to Fredericksburg, is that true? I use to go to 4 or 5 Suns games a year when I lived in that area and can understand the owners wanting to move from that old stadium.

Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown goes back to the late 1940's if I remember. I've read that Willie Mays played there at one time, not sure if it was in the minors for the Giants or maybe in the old Negro Leagues as they were called. Use to hang out down the third base line on "Thirsty Thursday's" when draft beers were only a $1.00!

Knoxville is actually the name of a neighborhood near Hagerstown, right on the the border between Frederick and Washington Counties. The Suns have a great ballpark and a great name but it probably is not amenity friendly. This means that it is great for watching games, but doesn't have playgrounds for children and state of the art speakers for blaring music and no box seats for rich people. I hope the Suns stay. Their park is much better than the Keys'.

WODL,I remember buying a box seat in Hagerstown several times and I am by no means "rich". You are entitled to your opinion but as for me I prefer the Keys stadium in Frederick. And I suspect that a lot of the Suns desire to move is related more to the lack of adequate facilities for the players and coaches in the club house than it is the fans comfort and experience.

I don't know the in's and out's of the amenities offered. I just like Hagerstown better, even though Frederick is slightly closer.. People who like going to Frederick, tend not to like Hagerstown, and vice versa. If a person preferred Memorial Stadium, then maybe that person might like Hagerstown. I like ballparks in neighborhoods and I like old things and I hate blaring music and playgrounds at the ballpark. I go to watch baseball, but I realize that I am in the minority these days.

I never said I hated Span in center field. I said that Harper has the potential to be better in center field. If Span had been the final piece of the puzzle, that would be one thing but what a cruel joke. But to be fair, Span has a higher obp than the Mets lead-off guy Lagares, and Lagares is one of the top prospects in all of MLB.

Something I've noticed about Soriano: he can't command the slider well this year. He's thrown a couple of good ones (a great one struck out McCutchen yesterday), but on the whole he either hangs it or yanks it into the dirt. The slider was always his out pitch. Without it, he's mostly fastball cutter. It's enough to get by, maybe, but it makes it a whole lot harder.

Manassas Nats' Fan said…RG III had a bum knee, Harper I would say more a sore one.MNF, not being argumentative but for a "sore" knee he missed an awful lot of baseball, wasn't it like a month? that is not a sore knee.

Trust me, Hagerstown has small club houses, players on top of each other before and after a game, inadequate locker rooms, old plumbing. I use to really enjoy going there to see a game but one ownership group after another has tried to get the city to improve or upgrade the facilities with only minimal success.